Information processing apparatus, network camera and processing system

ABSTRACT

An information processing apparatus can hold a bookmark to be used to access a camera through a network. The information processing apparatus acquires a photographed image photographed by the camera from the camera through the network, and then registers the photographed image acquired from the camera in the bookmark.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, anetwork camera and a processing system.

2. Description of the Related Art

It has been widely and generally performed to easily acquire URL(Uniform Resource Locater) information by previously adding a name tothe URL information and storing them in an information processingapparatus. On that occasion, a previously formed image can be storedtogether with the URL information in a Web page, and thus the storedimage can be displayed together with the name thereof.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-515725discloses a method in which a Web page connected from a URL isassociated with the URL and stored as a thumbnail image. By this method,when a name of the Web page is displayed, the corresponding thumbnailimage is simultaneously displayed, thereby acquiring the associated URLof the Web page.

However, if it is assumed that different cameras are used at respectiveURLs connected to Web pages respectively for displaying images from thecameras, an identical image is displayed regarding the respective URLsin the conventional technique of storing the previously formed image inthe Web page together with the URL information. Consequently, there is aproblem that it is difficult for a user to discriminate from whichcamera the displayed image has been acquired. Meanwhile, in order toswitch an image for each URL, since it is necessary to previously form adifferent image for each URL, there is a problem that it is troublesome.

Besides, in the above related art disclosed in Japanese PatentApplication Laid-Open No. 2011-515725, since the contents of the wholeWeb page are stored as the thumbnail images, the images other than theimage acquired from the camera are stored as the thumbnail images.Therefore, there is a problem that the necessary and important imageacquired from the camera is merely displayed small in size.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, which has been completed in consideration of theabove problems, aims to be able to easily discriminate a bookmark to beused for accessing a camera.

Further, the present invention aims to provide an information processingapparatus which can hold a bookmark to be used to access a camerathrough a network, and comprises: an acquisition unit configured toacquire a photographed image photographed by the camera, from the camerathrough the network; and a registration unit configured to register thephotographed image acquired from the camera, in the bookmark.

Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a network camerawhich comprises: a receiving unit configured to receive, from a requestdevice, a request to photograph an image to be registered in a bookmark;a processing unit configured to process the photographed image forregistration in the bookmark; and a transmitting unit configured totransmit, to the request device, the photographed image processed by theprocessing unit for registering the photographed image in the bookmark.

Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a system whichcomprises a network camera and an information processing apparatus,wherein the information processing apparatus further comprises anacquisition unit configured to acquire a photographed image photographedby the network camera, from the network camera through a network, and aregistration unit configured to register the photographed image acquiredfrom the network camera, in a bookmark to be used by the informationprocessing apparatus to access the network camera through the network,and the network camera further comprises a transmitting unit configuredto transmit the photographed image to the information processingapparatus.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments with reference to theattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofan information processing system to which a first embodiment of thepresent invention is applied.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are flow charts for describing an example of a bookmarkregistration process according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a screen image of a viewer clientaccording to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an HTTP (HyperTextTransfer Protocol) command indicating a bookmark registration requestaccording to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a screen displaying a bookmark list.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a desktop screen image on which desktopshortcuts are arranged as bookmarks.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a screen image of a viewer client towhich a second embodiment is applied.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of an HTTP commandindicating a bookmark registration request according to the secondembodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart for describing an example of a bookmark imagegeneration process on the side of a camera, according to the secondembodiment.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofan information processing system to which a third embodiment of thepresent invention is applied.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a screen image of a viewer clientaccording to the third embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of an HTTP commandindicating a bookmark registration request according to the thirdembodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart for describing an example of a bookmark imagegeneration process on the side of a camera, according to the thirdembodiment.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofan information processing system to which a fourth embodiment of thepresent invention is applied.

FIGS. 15A and 15B are diagrams illustrating a screen image of a viewerclient according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart for describing an example of a bookmarkregistration process according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofan information processing system to which a fifth embodiment of thepresent invention is applied.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart for describing an example of a bookmarkregistration process according to the fifth embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

A first embodiment is an embodiment in which a camera with a Web serverfunction receives a bookmark registration request from a client,photographs an image in response to the received bookmark registrationrequest, generates a bookmark image by cutting out a partial range fromthe photographed image, and transmits the generated bookmark image tothe client.

A second embodiment is an embodiment in which a position of a camera ischanged according to a camera position selected when registration of abookmark is requested, an image is then photographed in the changedposition, and a bookmark image is generated based on the photographedimage.

A third embodiment is an embodiment in which a cutout range is displayedon an image when registration of a bookmark is requested.

A fourth embodiment is an embodiment in which a bookmark image isgenerated inside a client by using an image already received by theclient, and registration of the bookmark image is performed.

A fifth embodiment is an embodiment in which a bookmark image isgenerated, a bookmark name, as well as the generated bookmark image, isacquired based on a position acquired by using a position informationacquisition unit connected to a camera, and the generated bookmark imageand the acquired bookmark name are registered.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for describing an example of a configurationof an information processing system in which a camera can be actuallycontrolled from a connected information processing apparatus.

In the present embodiment, the information processing system isconfigured such that a camera 1 which has a bookmark image generationfunction, and a viewer client 2 which requests registration of abookmark to the camera 1 and actually registers the bookmark therein areconnected to each other through a network 3.

Although the number of cameras (i.e., network cameras) and the number ofviewer clients respectively connected to the network 3 are notspecifically limited in the present embodiment, it is assumed that onecamera and one viewer network are respectively connected to the networkin the present embodiment for simplifying the description. Moreover, anytype of network can be used as the network 3, if the relevant network isa digital network such as the Internet, an intranet or the like whichhas a sufficient band enabling to transmit compressed image signals.

Incidentally, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that an HTTPprotocol is used as a protocol for the network, and an IP (InternetProtocol) address is simply called an address in the followingdescription. Besides, it is assumed that an IP address has beenallocated to each of the camera 1 and the viewer client 2.

In the camera 1, a communication control unit 108 delivers image datathrough the network 3 and performs various camera operations, inresponse to operation commands received from the viewer client 2. First,an imaging unit 104 captures a photographed image (i.e., a moving imageand a still image) through a lens 101. Then, when the registration ofthe bookmark is requested, the photographed image captured by theimaging unit is processed by a bookmark image generation unit 106, and abookmark image (i.e., an image to be registered with a predeterminedURL) is thus generated.

A storage unit 109 holds or stores therein various kinds of settingvalues or parameters, and further holds or stores therein previouslydesignated camera positions and the like. The lens 101, the imaging unit104, and a rotation mechanism 102 for performing rotation control areinstalled or mounted on a movable camera platform 103, and they arecontrolled by a camera control unit 105.

Then, a command interpretation unit 110 interprets the operation commandreceived by the communication control unit 108, and, after then, thecamera control unit 105 performs imaging device control such as panningcontrol, tilting control, zooming control, rotation control and the likefor the lens 101, the rotation mechanism 102 and the movable cameraplatform 103, in accordance with designated control contents.

Incidentally, an image compression unit 107 compresses the digital imagecaptured by the imaging unit 104 through the lens 101 in accordance witha Motion-JPEG (Motion-Joint Photographic Experts Group) method,transfers the compressed digital image to the communication control unit108, and then transmits the transferred digital image as image data tothe network 3. Incidentally, although the Motion-JPEG method is used asthe image compression method in the present embodiment, the presentinvention is not limited to this compression method.

The viewer client 2 is a Web application which operates on a Web browserimplemented by an HTML (HyperText Markup Language) format or aJavaScript format. Here, it should be noted that it is possible todownload the viewer client 2 from the camera 1 by designating thepredetermined URL including the IP address allocated to the relevantcamera.

A communication control section 206 receives the photographed image andthe previously designated camera position held in the storage unit 109,both delivered from the camera 1. Also, the communication controlsection receives the results of various camera operations.

A display control section 203 generates a GUI (graphical user interface)on the basis of the photographed image decompressed by an imageexpansion section 205 and the results of the various camera operations,and causes a screen display section 201 to display the generated GUI.

A camera operation input section 202 receives and accepts various userinputs for camera operations through a mouse, a keyboard and a touchscreen, and transfers the accepted user inputs to an operation commandgeneration/interpretation section 204.

The operation command generation/interpretation section 204 generatesvarious camera operation commands for panning, tilting, zooming androtating the camera, and a bookmark registration request command forrequesting the registration of the bookmark, on the basis of GUIoperations such as a slider operation, a button operation, mouseclicking on the image and the like.

The various camera operation commands generated by the operation commandgeneration/interpretation section 204 are transmitted to the camera 1through the communication control section 206. Moreover, the operationcommand generation/interpretation section 204 interprets the cameraoperation result received from the camera 1, and reflects theinterpreted result on the GUI generated by the display control section203.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are flow charts for describing an example of a processto be performed in the information processing system which includes thecamera 1 which received the request of the registration of the bookmark(hereinafter, simply called the bookmark registration request) and theviewer client 2. Moreover, FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a screenimage of the viewer client 2 according to the present embodiment.

A viewer client screen 300 includes a tilting slider 302, a panningslider 303, a zooming slider 304, a bookmark registration button 305 anda bookmark image update button 306, and the viewer client screen isdisplayed on the Web page display section of the Web browser. Besides,an address bar 310, a bookmark registration menu 320 and a bookmark listdisplay button 330 are displayed on the Web browser.

The flow chart illustrated in FIG. 2A corresponds to the process whichis performed by the viewer client 2, and the flow chart illustrated inFIG. 2B corresponds to the process which is performed by the camera 1.When the bookmark registration button 305 is pressed on the viewerclient 2, in S101, the bookmark registration request is first generatedand transmitted to the camera 1. The bookmark registration request istransmitted according to a GET command of the HTTP which includes acommand name indicating the bookmark registration request as illustratedin FIG. 4.

In the camera 1, the bookmark registration request transmitted from theviewer client 2 in S101 is received by the communication control unit108.

Then, it is determined by the command interpretation unit 110 whether ornot the received command is the bookmark registration request. If it isdetermined that the received command is the bookmark registrationrequest, then, in S102, the photographing is started in the currentcamera position maintained as it is, and the still image is captured andgenerated by the imaging unit 104 through the lens 101. Here, in a casewhere the imaging unit 104 steadily continues to photograph the stillimage, it may be possible to extract the latest still image alreadyphotographed.

Next, in S103, the bookmark image generation unit 106 calculates thecenter position of the image on the basis of the photographed result ofthe still image generated by the imaging unit 104, and cuts out from theimage a rectangular range which has the same height and width and hasthe center identical with the calculated center position.

Then, in S104, a bookmark image file which has a predetermined size anda predetermined file format is generated from the cut-out partial image,and the generated bookmark image file is held in the storage unit 109through the communication control unit 108. Moreover, a success of thebookmark registration request is notified to the viewer client 2 throughthe communication control unit 108 and the network 3.

Then, in S105, the viewer client 2 to which the success of the bookmarkregistration request was notified receives and acquires, from the camera1, the bookmark image file held in the storage unit 109. Then, in S106,the received bookmark image file is added and registered, together witha bookmark name indicating the name of the camera, to the bookmark listof a bookmark registration section 207 of the viewer client 2 (S106).The bookmark list is displayed as illustrated in FIG. 5 by the pressingof the bookmark list display button 330, such that a bookmark image 331and a bookmark name 332 are associated with each other.

Here, it is possible to register the bookmark to which the bookmarkimage has been added, by not only pressing the bookmark registrationbutton 305 but also pressing the bookmark image update button 306 andthen selecting the bookmark registration menu 320. More specifically, ifthe bookmark image update button 306 is pressed, the steps S101 and S105in the flow chart of FIG. 2A are performed, and, if the bookmarkregistration menu 320 is selected, the step S106 is performed.

Further, in the case where the bookmark registration menu 320 ispressed, it is possible to select a desktop of a terminal as a bookmarkregistration destination, in addition to the bookmark list illustratedin FIG. 5. In the case where the desktop of the terminal is selected asthe bookmark registration destination, the bookmark image is used as anicon 431 of a desktop shortcut to be displayed on a desktop 400 of theterminal, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

Incidentally, the bookmark image file is recognized as the bookmarkimage file if it is stored in the position of the same path as that ofthe viewer download source with the predetermined file name such as“favicon.ico”. However, according to a Web browser to be used, it ispossible to receive bookmark image data provided in a text form by the“Base64” scheme without a file form, and use the received bookmark imagedata for the registration of the bookmark. Therefore, it may be possibleto change over the bookmark image registration process by the JavaScriptof the viewer client 2 according to the Web browser to be used.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a screen image of a viewer client 2according to the second embodiment of the present invention, in which,when registration of a bookmark is requested, a camera position ischanged and then photographing is performed. In the present embodiment,photographing position selection radio buttons 307 are added to a screenimage corresponding to the screen image of the first embodimentillustrated in FIG. 3.

More specifically, if a bookmark registration button 305 is pressed inthe state that “PHOTOGRAPH IN CAMERA POSITION 1” has been selected bythe photographing position selection radio button 307, a bookmarkregistration request command illustrated in FIG. 8 is generated by anoperation command generation/interpretation section 204, and thegenerated command is transmitted to a camera 1.

When the bookmark registration request command illustrated in FIG. 8 isreceived, the camera 1 controls the photographing direction to thecamera position 1, photographs an image, generates a bookmark imagebased on the photographed image, and transmits the generated bookmarkimage to the viewer client. Then, when the bookmark image transmittedfrom the camera 1 is received, the viewer client 2 registers thereceived bookmark image in the list of a bookmark registration section207.

Here, the bookmark registration request command illustrated in FIG. 8 isprovided by adding a query string for designating the camera position 1to a bookmark registration request command corresponding to the bookmarkregistration request command of the first embodiment illustrated in FIG.4. In the present embodiment, designation of the position of an imagingdevice is selected by the photographing position selection radio buttons307. More specifically, it is selected whether to perform thephotographing in the current position or to perform the photographingafter controlling the camera to change its position to the cameraposition previously registered therein.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart for describing an example of the process which isperformed on the side of the camera 1 in an information processingsystem which includes the camera 1 which received the bookmarkregistration request and the viewer client 2, in the case where, whenthe registration of the bookmark is requested, the camera position ischanged and then the photographing is performed. Here, since the flowchart indicating the process which is performed on the side of theviewer client 2 is common to the flow chart illustrated in FIG. 2A, thedescription thereof will be omitted. In a case where it has beenselected to perform the photographing in the camera position 1 or 2 bythe photographing position selection radio button 307, the camera 1transmits the bookmark registration request command to which the querystring for designating the selected camera position has been added.

In the camera 1, when the bookmark registration request transmitted fromthe viewer client 2 in S101 is received by a communication control unit108, it is determined by a command interpretation unit 110 whether ornot the received command is the bookmark registration request. If it isdetermined that the received command is the bookmark registrationrequest, it is further determined by the command interpretation unit 110whether or not the designation of the camera position is included in thecommand. If it is determined that the designation of the camera positionis included in the command, then, in S201, the camera position iscontrolled to the camera position designated by a camera control unit105. After the controlling of the camera position was completed in S201,or, if the designation of the camera position is not included in thebookmark registration request, processes in S202 to S204 respectivelysame as those in S102 to S104 in the first embodiment are sequentiallyperformed. Incidentally, the block diagram for describing the presentembodiment is the same as that for describing the first embodimentillustrated in FIG. 1.

Third Embodiment

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an information processing systemto which a bookmark registration method to be used in a case where acutout range is displayed on a screen display section 201 of a viewerclient 2 when registration of a bookmark is requested is applied.Basically, the configuration of the information processing system in thepresent embodiment is substantially the same as that in the firstembodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. However, a cutout areacalculation/synthesis section 210 is added to the viewer client 2 in theinformation processing system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a screen image of the screen displaysection 201 to which the bookmark registration method to be used in thecase where the cutout range is displayed on the image display of theviewer client when the registration of the bookmark is requested isapplied.

If the bookmark registration button 305 or the bookmark image updatebutton 306 is pressed by a user in the screen state illustrated in FIG.3, an operation mode is changed from a camera operation mode to abookmark image cutout mode, and the screen illustrated in FIG. 11 isdisplayed. Here, a bookmark image cutout frame 308, a decision button311 and a stop button 312 are displayed on a screen display section 301in the bookmark image cutout mode. More specifically, the bookmark imagecutout frame 308 is synthesized onto an image received from a camera 1,by the cutout area calculation/synthesis section 210. Incidentally, thebookmark image cutout frame 308 can be moved by a screen tappingoperation and/or a screen swiping operation input through a cameraoperation input section 202, or the size of the bookmark image cutoutframe 308 can be changed by a pinch-in operation and/or a pinch-outoperation input through the camera operation input section 202.

If the bookmark image cutout frame 308 is set at an appropriate positionand then the decision button 311 is pressed, a bookmark registrationrequest command illustrated in FIG. 12 is generated by an operationcommand generation/interpretation section 204, and the generatedbookmark registration request command is transmitted to the camera 1.Here, the bookmark registration request command is provided by adding aquery string for designating the position (x, y) and the size (v, h) ofthe bookmark image cutout frame 308 on the image and the size of acutout-source still image to a bookmark registration request commandcorresponding to the bookmark registration request command of the firstembodiment illustrated in FIG. 4. If the stop button 312 is pressed, theoperation mode is changed from the bookmark image cutout mode to thecamera operation mode, and the screen is returned to the screen stateillustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart for describing an example of the process whichis performed on the side of the camera 1 in the information processingsystem which includes the camera and the viewer client 2 to which thebookmark registration method to be used in the case where the cutoutrange is displayed on the screen display section 201 of the viewerclient 2 when the registration of the bookmark is requested is applied.Here, since the flow chart indicating the process which is performed onthe side of the viewer client 2 is common to the flow chart illustratedin FIG. 2A, the description thereof will be omitted. The camera 1transmits the bookmark registration request command to which the querystring for designating the bookmark image cutout frame 308 has beenadded.

In the camera 1, if the bookmark registration request transmitted fromthe viewer client 2 in S101 is received by a communication control unit108, it is determined by a command interpretation unit 110 whether ornot the received command is the bookmark registration request. If it isdetermined that the received command is the bookmark registrationrequest, then a still image is photographed in S301 in the currentcamera position maintained as it is. Next, it is determined by thecommand interpretation unit 110 whether or not designation of the cutoutrange is included in the command. Then, if it is determined that thedesignation of the cutout range is included in the command, thedesignated cutout range is cut out as the bookmark image from the stillimage in S302. Incidentally, the process in S303 to be performed in thecase where the designation of the cutout range is not included in thecommand is the same as the process in S103, and the process in S304 tobe performed after the processes in S302 and S303 were completed is thesame as that in S104.

Fourth Embodiment

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating an information processing systemin which a viewer client 2 is provided as a native applicationimplemented by a C language or a C++ language and a bookmark image isgenerated on the side of the viewer client.

FIGS. 15A and 15B are diagrams illustrating a screen image in the casewhere the viewer client 2 is provided as the native application.

In the case where the viewer client 2 is provided as the nativeapplication, a connection information dialog box 340 is first displayed.Then, if a camera IP address, a port number, a user name and a passwordare input, the viewer client is connected to a camera 1, and the screenillustrated in FIG. 15B is displayed. Here, the basic configuration ofthe displayed screen is the same as that in the case where the viewerclient is the Web application as illustrated in FIG. 3. However, sincethe displayed screen does not operate on the browser, an address bar310, a bookmark registration menu 320 and a bookmark list display button330 which are included in the Web browser are not displayed here.Moreover, since the native application does not have a bookmark listunlike the Web browser, a home screen registration button 309 isdisplayed instead of a bookmark registration button 305.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart for describing an example of a desktop shortcutregistration process to be performed in the viewer client 2 when thehome screen registration button 309 is pressed. Here, since the side ofthe camera 1 does not perform any specific process when a desktopshortcut is registered in the native application, the descriptionthereof will be omitted.

If the home screen registration button 309 is pressed, in S401, thebookmark image generation section 208 first calculates the centerposition of a latest image decompressed by an image expansion section205, and cuts out from the image a rectangular range which has the sameheight and width and has the center identical with the calculated centerposition. Next, the cut-out image is held as the bookmark image in S402.Then, in S403, a bookmark registration section 207 stores the desktopshortcut together with a separately set bookmark name.

As well as the Web application in the first embodiment of FIG. 6, thedesktop shortcut is registered on a desktop screen. In the case wherethe viewer client 2 is the native application, the native application tobe started and parameters to be given thereto are registered as ashortcut name. Incidentally, in the case where the viewer client is theWeb application, the URL of the HTTP is registered as the shortcut name.In the present embodiment, the shortcut name is registered in the formof <identification name inherent in native application>://<username>:<password>@IP address(:<port number>). For example,nwviewer://root:******@192.168.0.1 is given.

If the given desktop shortcut is pressed by a user, the connectioninformation dialog box illustrated in FIG. 15A is omitted, the camera 1is directly accessed, and the screen illustrated in FIG. 15B isdisplayed. Incidentally, the data to be input on the screen illustratedin FIG. 15A is registered on the desktop shortcut.

Incidentally, the shortcut name to be registered to the desktop shortcutis not limited to the above form.

Fifth Embodiment

FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofan information processing system to which a bookmark registration methodwhich is performed in a case where a name is acquired based on aposition acquired using a position information acquisition unitconnected to a camera and the acquired name is delivered together with abookmark image to a client is applied. Since a viewer client 2 in theinformation processing system of the present embodiment is assumed as anative application, the configuration thereof is substantially the sameas that in the block diagram of FIG. 14. However, a GPS (globalpositioning system) receiver 111 is added in a camera 1, and a GPStransmitter 4 and a map information service 5 are added through anetwork 3.

The GPS receiver 111 measures position information (latitude andlongitude) of the camera 1 by receiving a radio wave from the GPStransmitter 4. Moreover, the name of the position is acquired based onthe position information by transmitting the position informationmeasured by the GPS receiver 111 to the map information service 5 withuse of a communication control unit 108 through the network 3. Theacquired name is delivered together with an image photographed by animaging unit 104 to the viewer client 2 through the network 3.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart for describing an example of a desktop shortcutregistration process which is performed in the viewer client 2 in theinformation processing system of the present embodiment which consistsof the camera 1 and the viewer client 2. Incidentally, a screen image ofthe viewer client 2 is the same as that in the fourth embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 15A and 15B.

If a home screen registration button 309 is pressed, in S501, a bookmarkimage generation section 208 first calculates the center position of alatest received image decompressed by an image expansion section 205,and cuts out from the image a rectangular range which has the sameheight and width and has the center identical with the calculated centerposition. Next, the cut-out image is held as the bookmark image in S502.

Further, in S503, the position information (latitude and longitude) ofthe camera 1 is acquired from the camera 1. The camera 1 causes the GPSreceiver 111 to receive the radio wave transmitted from the GPStransmitter 4, measures the position information (latitude andlongitude) of the camera 1, and notifies the viewer client 2 of themeasured position information. Here, in a case where the camera cannotbe connected to the map information service 5 due to a problem of aconfiguration on the side of the viewer client 2 and/or a problem ofcommunication on the network 3, in S504, the position information(latitude and longitude) of the camera 1 is directly set as the bookmarkname. On the other hand, in a case where the camera can be connected tothe map information service 5, in S505, the position information(latitude and longitude) of the camera 1 is transmitted to the mapinformation service 5. Thus, a position name which is a landmark name orthe like is acquired, and the acquired position name is set as thebookmark name.

In S506, the acquired bookmark image and the acquired position name areregistered together with the desktop shortcut by a bookmark registrationsection 207.

As above, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed. However, the present invention is not limited to theseembodiments, and various deformations and modifications can be achievedwithin the scope of the present invention.

Other Embodiments

The present invention can be achieved by performing the followingprocess in which software (a computer program) for achieving thefunctions of the above embodiments is supplied to a system or anapparatus through a network or various computer-readable storage media,and a computer (or a CPU, an MPU, etc.) of the system or the apparatusreads out and executes the computer program.

Embodiments of the present invention can also be realized by a computerof a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executableinstructions recorded on a storage medium (e.g., non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium) to perform the functions of one ormore of the above-described embodiment(s) of the present invention, andby a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, forexample, reading out and executing the computer executable instructionsfrom the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of theabove-described embodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more ofa central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU), or othercircuitry, and may include a network of separate computers or separatecomputer processors. The computer executable instructions may beprovided to the computer, for example, from a network or the storagemedium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of ahard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), astorage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as acompact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blue-ray Disc(BD)™), a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.

While the present invention has been described with reference to theexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application Nos.2013-074543, filed Mar. 29, 2013, and 2014-025895, filed Feb. 13, 2014,which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information processing apparatus which canhold a bookmark to be used to access a camera through a network,comprising: an acquisition unit configured to acquire a photographedimage photographed by the camera, from the camera through the network;and a registration unit configured to register the photographed imageacquired from the camera, in the bookmark.
 2. The information processingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit isconfigured to request the camera to photograph an image to be registeredin the bookmark.
 3. The information processing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the registration unit is configured to register, in thebookmark, an image cut out from the photographed image photographed bythe camera.
 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim3, wherein the acquisition unit further comprise a designation unitconfigured to designate a range within which the image is cut out fromthe photographed image photographed by the camera for the registrationin the bookmark.
 5. The information processing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the registration unit is configured to register dataaccording to a position of the camera, in the bookmark, together withthe photographed image.
 6. The information processing apparatusaccording to claim 5, wherein the data according to the position of thecamera is acquired from a map data service through the network.
 7. Theinformation processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theregistration unit is configured to cut out an image to be registered inthe bookmark from the photographed image acquired from the camera.
 8. Anetwork camera comprising: a receiving unit configured to receive, froma request device, a request to photograph an image to be registered in abookmark; a processing unit configured to process the photographed imagefor registration in the bookmark; and a transmitting unit configured totransmit, to the request device, the photographed image processed by theprocessing unit for registering the photographed image in the bookmark.9. The network camera according to claim 8, wherein the receiving unitis configured to receive from the request device a photographingposition to photograph the image to be registered in the bookmark, andthe processing unit is configured to control a photographing unit tophotograph the image in the photographing position received from therequest device.
 10. A system which comprises a network camera and aninformation processing apparatus, wherein the information processingapparatus further comprises an acquisition unit configured to acquire aphotographed image photographed by the network camera, from the networkcamera through a network, and a registration unit configured to registerthe photographed image acquired from the network camera, in a bookmarkto be used by the information processing apparatus to access the networkcamera through the network, and the network camera further comprises atransmitting unit configured to transmit the photographed image to theinformation processing apparatus.
 11. The system according to claim 10,wherein the network camera further comprises a receiving unit configuredto receive a request for the photographed image to be registered in thebookmark from the information processing apparatus, and a processingunit configured to process the photographed image for registration inthe bookmark, and the transmitting unit is configured to transmit thephotographed image processed by the processing unit to the informationprocessing apparatus.
 12. The system according to claim 10, wherein theregistration unit further comprises a cutout unit configured to cut outan image from the photographed image acquired from the network camera toregister the cut-out image in the bookmark.
 13. The system according toclaim 10, wherein the registration unit further comprises a positiondata acquisition unit configured to acquire position data of the networkcamera, and the registration unit is configured to register, in thebookmark, the position data of the network camera acquired by theposition data acquisition unit together with the photographed image. 14.The system according to claim 13, wherein the position data acquisitionunit is configured to acquire a name corresponding to the position dataof the network camera from a map data service through the network, andthe registration unit is configured to register, in the bookmark, theacquired name together with the photographed image.
 15. A method ofregistering a bookmark to be used to access a camera through a network,the method comprising: acquiring a photographed image photographed bythe camera, from the camera through the network; and registering thephotographed image acquired from the camera, in the bookmark.
 16. Themethod according to claim 15, further comprising cutting out an image tobe registered in the bookmark, from the photographed image acquired fromthe camera.
 17. An image transmitting method in a network camera, themethod comprising: receiving a request for photographing an image to beregistered in a bookmark, from a request device; processing thephotographed image to be registered in the bookmark; and transmittingthe photographed image processed to be registered in the bookmark, tothe request device.
 18. The image transmitting method according to claim17, further comprising: receiving a photographing position of thenetwork camera for photographing the image to be registered in thebookmark; and controlling a photographing unit to photograph the imagein the requested photographing position.
 19. A computer-readable storagemedium which stores a program for registering a bookmark to be used toaccess a camera through a network, the program serving to: acquire aphotographed image photographed by the camera, from the camera throughthe network; and register the photographed image acquired from thecamera, in the bookmark.
 20. The computer-readable storage mediumaccording to claim 19, wherein the stored program further serves to cutout an image to be registered in the bookmark, from the photographedimage acquired from the camera.
 21. A computer-readable storage mediumwhich stores a program for transmitting a photographed image in anetwork camera, the program serving to: receive a request forphotographing an image to be registered in a bookmark, from a requestdevice; process the photographed image to be registered in the bookmark;and transmit the photographed image processed to be registered in thebookmark, to the request device.